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The United Kingdom's top law officer, one of the most senior Jewish ministers, has urged Nigel Farage to issue an apology to former schoolmates who assert he targeted with racist abuse them during their time at school.

Hermer said that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, based on their accounts of his actions as a youth. He commented that the leader's "shifting" denials had been difficult to believe.

“Throughout his defensive responses to valid inquiries, not once has Farage genuinely condemned antisemitism,” Hermer told a publication.

New Allegations Emerge

A published report last month outlined the accounts of over a dozen ex-pupils of Farage from Dulwich College.

One, Peter Ettedgui, described that a 13-year-old Farage "would sidle up to me and utter: ‘The Nazi leader was correct’ or ‘gas them’, at times making a long hiss to mimic the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another student of colour claimed that when he was about nine, he was subjected to similar treatment by a older Farage.

“He came over to a pupil with two similarly tall mates and targeted anyone looking ‘other’,” the person said. “That involved me on three occasions; questioning me where I was from, and motioning, saying: ‘Go back that way,’ to any place you replied you were from.”

After the story broke, additional individuals have come forward; around two dozen people have now claimed they were either victims of or observed deeply offensive past behaviour by Farage.

The alleged events they outlined span the period when Farage was aged 13 to 18.

Changing Stories

The political figure has rejected that anything he did was "explicitly" racist or antisemitic, and has claimed the accusers were not telling the truth.

Observers have highlighted that Farage has neglected to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism in a wider sense in his denials.

They also cite his reluctance to sanction a colleague in his party, Sarah Pochin, after she complained about the number of ethnic minorities she saw in television commercials. She later said sorry for the remarks.

“His evolving narrative about his behaviour to his peers [is] not credible, to say the least,” Hermer said.

He continued: “Suggesting that a group of people have all forgotten the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply isn’t credible."

Demand for Accountability

“If he wants to be seen as a credible figure for the top job, he has to confront the concerns of the Jewish community, and say sorry to the numerous individuals he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer said.

“Racism in all its forms is completely opposed to the values of this country and we must not permit it to ever become accepted in society.”

In a different discussion, Rachel Reeves said Farage should “make a statement” if he wanted to appear as a true statesman.

“It says a lot how very little he has to say, and the guarded phrasing that both you and I would understand as being written in a certain style to say something, but also dodge the issue,” she said.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In lawyers' communications prior to the publication of the investigation, Farage’s lawyers stated that “the suggestion that Mr Farage ever took part in, condoned, or led such conduct is strongly rejected”.

Farage later altered his stance in an appearance, remarking: “Have I said things decades ago that you could view as being playground talk, you could interpret in a contemporary context today in a certain manner? Possibly.”

He added that he had “not once intentionally sought to go and harm anybody”. Farage subsequently issued a new statement: “I can tell you unequivocally that I did not say the things that have been printed aged 13, so long ago.”